Site description Cat Loc is one of the three sectors of Cat Tien National Park, and is situated at the western extent of the Central Highlands. The topography of the site is characterised by steep low hills. Cat Loc supports a variety of habitat types, including secondary evergreen forest, bamboo forest, flooded forest and grassland. Cat Loc is one of the most important sites for the conservation of mammals in Vietnam. Among the mammals that have been confirmed to occur at the site are Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondiacus, Gaur Bos gaurus, Black-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nigripes and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle. Cat Loc is situated in the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The site supports populations of all three bird species that occur in this EBA: Orange-necked Partridge Arborophila davidi, Germain's Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron germaini and Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi. People belonging to a variety of ethnic groups inhabit Cat Loc and the national park buffer zone. Each of these groups have different land-use strategies and different impacts on the natural resources of the national park. The major threats to biodiversity at Cat Loc are conversion of forest land for agriculture, timber extraction, exploitation of non-timber forest products and hunting.

Key Biodiversity

Non-bird biodiversity: The following primate species have been recorded at Cat Loc by Ling (2000): Long-tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides, Black-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nigripes and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle.Cat Loc supports a population of Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus estimated at 5-8 individuals (Ling, 2000). This is the only known population of this species in mainland Asia.

Habitats

Land use

Land-use

Extent (% of site)

agriculture

5%

nature conservation and research

100%

Protection status Cat Tien National Park consists of three sectors. The Nam Cat Tien sector is located in Tan Phu district, Dong Nai province. The Tay Cat Tien sector is located in Bu Dang district, Binh Phuoc province. The Cat Loc sector is located in Cat Tien and Bao Lam districts, Lam Dong province.Nam Cat Tien was decreed as a protected forest in 1978, and was subsequently upgraded to National Park status. The Tay Cat Tien and Cat Loc sectors were initially separate protected areas. In 1993, an investment plan that proposed combining all three sectors as Cat Tien National Park was completed, but was not approved. In 1997, a revised investment plan for Cat Tien National Park was prepared. This investment plan was approved in 1998.